You know applying for these scholarships is a LEARNING EXPERIENCE. Those who apply must follow directions; if they don't no matter how qualified they are, they won't get selected. If they don't turn in a complete packet on time, they lose out to others who do complete all the parts required. If the church really does want them, they have to write more than a 3 line recommendation. (and there has to be TWO recommendations.) They must put effort into communicating and yes, communicating outside their culture. IF they want to work with EAFC the church must demonstrate their accepting the responsibilities of a partnership. God has given all of us resources; we can't just take and not give when we have something to give. Jesus showed that "amount" isn't the criteria, but a heart attitude is.
Sometimes though good men and women have dreams that are outside of our ability to even dream with them. When they live in West Africa and want training at an expensive university in East Africa, someone has to pay for airfare to cross the continent. EAFC is just "part" of their solution for needs. THEN we've discovered that the cultural adjustments for a West African in East Africa can be significant too. The expense of living in Nairobi, for example, can put strains on them when they are in a part of the world away from their mentors. Once they get established within a church and the international community, they seem to be OK, but those adjustments are real and painful.
All this has to be factored in. Do we choose 3 or 4 who need a lesser amount or put lots of resources in the one who needs a lot? How many post graduate degrees do we participate in? Do we accept those who have just finished one degree and then apply immediately for a second one? See what a learning experience it is for US TOO?
So, we learned about them as we read, evaluated, emailed back and forth. Now, the office will communicate with those who have been provisionally accepted, sending out agreements that demonstrate that all parties understand what we can do to help. Once the church understands how much we are offering, they have to determine whether or not that is enough for the student to go forth. We don't want to send money just to have it insufficient to complete what they have begun. After they return acceptance agreements, they move from being provisionally accepted to being CURRENT STUDENTS.
This is the PROCESS. In time, I'll give you names and small biographies of our newest members of the EAFC family. Maybe you can pick one or two of them to pray for and get updates on.
For now, it feels good to be able to say We DID it! We selected a new class of EAFC students!
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
A WORLD Full of NEED
A world full of need! What touches one heart but not another's is often I think based on your own life experience. If your personal history has included opportunities to EMPATHIZE with certain needs then that's the spot in which your heart pulls its strings.
But wait a minute. I am one of those people who thanked my parents to the best of an 18-22 year old's ability to say thank you for paying the bills for my university education. I tried to say thank you with the grades I made, but it took YEARS for me to realize what a gift they had given me. THEN it was my husband who paid the bills for my master's degree. Once again, I thanked him but did I really know how to say THANK YOU? I don't think so.
Generally I am not the typical "mother" who just feels with and for her children and gives into them out of a Mother's heart. I don't know whether that's good or bad. I know I'm not the typical though. As I look back on my life, memories will engulf me with moments of regret. "Oh, I could have shown more empathy, gotten inside their shoes better than that."
I tell you this because I am really quite surprised that I became involved in raising money for scholarships in Africa. The interest in Africa doesn't surprise me because that goes back to the theory I began this post with. MY PERSONAL HISTORY has always collided with THAT CONTINENT. As a 10 year old kid, my parents enrolled me in a program for memorizing Scripture.. One of the rewards for memorizing certain amounts was books. Mine was called Radio Pals in the Hands of the Mau Mau. I didn't even know there really WAS such a group of people called the Mau Mau in Kenya, but my imagination was lighted with books like that one.
Now, my circular thinking might get the ends to come back together. For whatever reason, my heartstrings have been plucked, but with this world of need I don't know how to tell the stories I'm collecting in a way that draws others into sharing this experience with me.
We've tried taking people with us to Africa, and there we often find that while their hearts ARE DEFINITELY touched, they don't necessarily give so that our students can be instructed with knowledge and skills to be LEADERS in THEIR OWN COUNTRIES.
Tomorrow, I might give you bios of some of the ones that tonight the scholarship selection committee will choose. "God funds what he favors." This must be my mantra!
It has not escaped his notice, not one single one of these needs.
Maybe I wrote all this as a part of my own self therapy, to work out my fretting, sadness for those who will get denial letters tomorrow. God knows; God cares: God will provide, if not through EAFC through another.
But wait a minute. I am one of those people who thanked my parents to the best of an 18-22 year old's ability to say thank you for paying the bills for my university education. I tried to say thank you with the grades I made, but it took YEARS for me to realize what a gift they had given me. THEN it was my husband who paid the bills for my master's degree. Once again, I thanked him but did I really know how to say THANK YOU? I don't think so.
Generally I am not the typical "mother" who just feels with and for her children and gives into them out of a Mother's heart. I don't know whether that's good or bad. I know I'm not the typical though. As I look back on my life, memories will engulf me with moments of regret. "Oh, I could have shown more empathy, gotten inside their shoes better than that."
I tell you this because I am really quite surprised that I became involved in raising money for scholarships in Africa. The interest in Africa doesn't surprise me because that goes back to the theory I began this post with. MY PERSONAL HISTORY has always collided with THAT CONTINENT. As a 10 year old kid, my parents enrolled me in a program for memorizing Scripture.. One of the rewards for memorizing certain amounts was books. Mine was called Radio Pals in the Hands of the Mau Mau. I didn't even know there really WAS such a group of people called the Mau Mau in Kenya, but my imagination was lighted with books like that one.
Now, my circular thinking might get the ends to come back together. For whatever reason, my heartstrings have been plucked, but with this world of need I don't know how to tell the stories I'm collecting in a way that draws others into sharing this experience with me.
We've tried taking people with us to Africa, and there we often find that while their hearts ARE DEFINITELY touched, they don't necessarily give so that our students can be instructed with knowledge and skills to be LEADERS in THEIR OWN COUNTRIES.
Tomorrow, I might give you bios of some of the ones that tonight the scholarship selection committee will choose. "God funds what he favors." This must be my mantra!
It has not escaped his notice, not one single one of these needs.
Maybe I wrote all this as a part of my own self therapy, to work out my fretting, sadness for those who will get denial letters tomorrow. God knows; God cares: God will provide, if not through EAFC through another.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
My Son and Mother's Day
My son is quite creative. as he has been jogging he has listened to podcasts. One of them told about 31 days to finding your blogging mojo. Now I am not at all sure I know what mojo is or if I want it once I find it, but I do like it that Rob thought about me. He came by and put the app on my iPad so I can learn. He does know his Mother likes to always be learning.
This blog is a intended to be self limiting. I named it about how I am growing through my interactions with Africa so that friends would know what to expect when they clicked on the link.
( Last night Mike Huckabee though showed his new Granddaughter on his show. Why? He said because he could,)
Well, I guess I can talk about Rob too just because I can. Ha!
OK while I'm on this roll, let me talk about Susan and Claire too. Claire invited me to Hattiesburg to go to church with their family and them out to lunch. Both her boys were dedicated to God at their church today. How special!
Susan called on her way home from celebrating my oldest granddaughter's 13th birthday. I get to go to lunch with Susan tomorrow. Now, can I connect this with growing through Africa? I think I can.
Four out of five of our nucleus family lived in Africa in 1996-97 and that Christmas even Susan and her new husband, Joel got to come visit us. Now, I wait for the PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO INTRODUCE GRANDCHILDREN TO THE CONTINENT I LOVE. Will it happen? I don't know, but I can pray that all their hearts are turned toward people with challenges that are foreign to the challenges in our part of the world. I want them to want others to love Jesus and think outside of their own peer group. I want all TWELVE of them to love and serve Christ.
Ok since I am taking liberties with this blog today, let me see if I can post pictures of our newest grandsons, born March1 and May 7.
This blog is a intended to be self limiting. I named it about how I am growing through my interactions with Africa so that friends would know what to expect when they clicked on the link.
( Last night Mike Huckabee though showed his new Granddaughter on his show. Why? He said because he could,)
Well, I guess I can talk about Rob too just because I can. Ha!
 |
| Joseph, Claire's 2nd son born March 1 |
Susan called on her way home from celebrating my oldest granddaughter's 13th birthday. I get to go to lunch with Susan tomorrow. Now, can I connect this with growing through Africa? I think I can.
Four out of five of our nucleus family lived in Africa in 1996-97 and that Christmas even Susan and her new husband, Joel got to come visit us. Now, I wait for the PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO INTRODUCE GRANDCHILDREN TO THE CONTINENT I LOVE. Will it happen? I don't know, but I can pray that all their hearts are turned toward people with challenges that are foreign to the challenges in our part of the world. I want them to want others to love Jesus and think outside of their own peer group. I want all TWELVE of them to love and serve Christ.
Ok since I am taking liberties with this blog today, let me see if I can post pictures of our newest grandsons, born March1 and May 7.
 |
| Our son Rob and his 5th child, 2nd son Jonathan |
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Is it Naivety, Forgetfulness that causes Prayerlessness
This morning I am struck by news I received yesterday from Africa that hurt deeply. I hurt for those I love. The ripples from the rock that ruffled what appeared to be calm waters has potential to be a tsunami.
OK so now I pray? Yes, I am convicted that it takes shocking news to wake me from my complacency and belief in the goodness of man. If only I knew my Bible better; I mean REALLY knew it. If only I applied what I know.
"The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked; who can know it?"
Just recently I watched John Piper, retiring pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minnesota preach to fellow pastors at the Together for the Gospel conference. This was held in Louisville, KY in April. Go to T4G.com if you want to watch John Piper tell about his amazement that he is still a Christian. I "thought" I understood when I watched him preach, but this latest news has made me question how thoroughly I appreciate my own sin and how far I can still fall if not relying on Jesus. I excuse my "little sins." WHY do I do that? hummmm gets back to that Scripture I just quoted, doesn't it?
I guess it doesn't matter much whether I am naive or just plain forgetful if the end results in that I don't pray. Will you join with me in recommitment to praying for our brothers and sisters, missionaries, pastors, church elders, friends, family who name the name of Christ? There's a lot at stake. We live in uncertain times, and this has been a wake up call to me. Will you join me in prayer?
OK so now I pray? Yes, I am convicted that it takes shocking news to wake me from my complacency and belief in the goodness of man. If only I knew my Bible better; I mean REALLY knew it. If only I applied what I know.
"The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked; who can know it?"
Just recently I watched John Piper, retiring pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minnesota preach to fellow pastors at the Together for the Gospel conference. This was held in Louisville, KY in April. Go to T4G.com if you want to watch John Piper tell about his amazement that he is still a Christian. I "thought" I understood when I watched him preach, but this latest news has made me question how thoroughly I appreciate my own sin and how far I can still fall if not relying on Jesus. I excuse my "little sins." WHY do I do that? hummmm gets back to that Scripture I just quoted, doesn't it?
I guess it doesn't matter much whether I am naive or just plain forgetful if the end results in that I don't pray. Will you join with me in recommitment to praying for our brothers and sisters, missionaries, pastors, church elders, friends, family who name the name of Christ? There's a lot at stake. We live in uncertain times, and this has been a wake up call to me. Will you join me in prayer?
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
PLEASE don't forget!
Forgetting is human nature, isn't it? Maybe that's why God told us in Scripture over and over and over again not to do it. Forget none of His benefits. So as I write this update, I am reminding myself of some of those as they relate to this journey I'm on, growing through Africa.
A Kenyan EAFC alumnus was helping us out by answering questions for students at a university who were interested in a scholarship. What happened though was that our friend felt like he was put on the defensive in the meeting. When he told me about it, I naturally "came to his defense" in my communication with the administration at this university. But did I do it in prayer? Did I consider the differences in our cultures and how I might word my communication in a way that might lessen tensions or possible misunderstandings? Did I REMEMBER? I wish I could say I did. But I'm determined to be honest in this blog. I'm not going to try to deceive anyone. I still after all these years (since 1996) of interacting with Africans still make so many mistakes.
"How'd it turn out? "you might ask. I wish I could say that in spite of my bumbling efforts that there's perfect restoration and understanding, but once again honesty beckons me to tell it like it is.
I wrote the lady in administration who took issue with my words. I apologized for what I've just admitted to you that I did. AND YET!!! There's more to this than I have told. You see, the leaders at the university called my young friend back to "defend himself" which culturally he didn't feel like he could do. If I am a straightforward woman, which I am, even in a very independent and straightforward culture, my friend is at the other end of the spectrum. If these people really wanted to UNDERSTAND rather than defend, they'd realize that I haven't spoken out of a vacuum. I had something behind my desire to take up for my friend. But I doubt that clarity will come to this particular situation.
It is my real desire though that in the BIG picture, I will grow from this experience. "SLOW DOWN, Val." REMEMBER what you've learned. Don't forget!!!!! Keep your eyes on the prize. Remember that Jesus left a perfect culture to come and live among us with so many flawed cultures. He understands, will guide and teach.
ONE LAST thought before signing off today. Scholarship selection is May 21. Will you be in prayer that we LISTEN to God, sense which applicants are the ones He wants to bless through THIS ministry? Thank you, my friends for reading this and for praying with me.
Forget not all His benefits!!!!!!
A Kenyan EAFC alumnus was helping us out by answering questions for students at a university who were interested in a scholarship. What happened though was that our friend felt like he was put on the defensive in the meeting. When he told me about it, I naturally "came to his defense" in my communication with the administration at this university. But did I do it in prayer? Did I consider the differences in our cultures and how I might word my communication in a way that might lessen tensions or possible misunderstandings? Did I REMEMBER? I wish I could say I did. But I'm determined to be honest in this blog. I'm not going to try to deceive anyone. I still after all these years (since 1996) of interacting with Africans still make so many mistakes.
"How'd it turn out? "you might ask. I wish I could say that in spite of my bumbling efforts that there's perfect restoration and understanding, but once again honesty beckons me to tell it like it is.
I wrote the lady in administration who took issue with my words. I apologized for what I've just admitted to you that I did. AND YET!!! There's more to this than I have told. You see, the leaders at the university called my young friend back to "defend himself" which culturally he didn't feel like he could do. If I am a straightforward woman, which I am, even in a very independent and straightforward culture, my friend is at the other end of the spectrum. If these people really wanted to UNDERSTAND rather than defend, they'd realize that I haven't spoken out of a vacuum. I had something behind my desire to take up for my friend. But I doubt that clarity will come to this particular situation.
It is my real desire though that in the BIG picture, I will grow from this experience. "SLOW DOWN, Val." REMEMBER what you've learned. Don't forget!!!!! Keep your eyes on the prize. Remember that Jesus left a perfect culture to come and live among us with so many flawed cultures. He understands, will guide and teach.
ONE LAST thought before signing off today. Scholarship selection is May 21. Will you be in prayer that we LISTEN to God, sense which applicants are the ones He wants to bless through THIS ministry? Thank you, my friends for reading this and for praying with me.
Forget not all His benefits!!!!!!
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